The Facts in the Fiction
by 554Laura
Summary: Brennan experiences several dramatic changes in her life over the span of a year. THIS STORY IS AU and of course I don't own Bones.
1. Chapter 1

Dr. Temperance Brennan sat at her computer in her office, trying to go through the pages upon pages of emails and actual letters that had piled up while she'd been away from the university for her research expedition. She sighed in frustration as she rubbed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Even though it was common knowledge among the academic community that she would be in the Maluku Islands for an extended period of time, there were still several people who had insisted on sending her catalogs, letters, manuscripts, articles, and various other types of correspondence while she was gone. Unfortunately, she couldn't do a mass delete on her email in case she needed some information she found in one of them, so she was plowing through them as quickly as she could when she heard the man at the door clear his throat.

"Oh, hello, Sergeant Walker. Please come in and sit down." Brennan pointed to the chair across from her own. She frowned slightly as she wondered about the reason for this visit from one of Booth's Army friends. "I'm surprised to see you here. I haven't seen Booth for several months, and it's been several weeks since I heard from him. I was expecting him to contact me when he returned to the States, but he hasn't done so yet."

Sergeant Walker grimaced as he inhaled sharply. "I know…" The man twisted uncomfortably in his chair. "That's the reason I'm here to see you, Dr. Brennan. I'm afraid I have some bad news about Booth…"

Brennan's stomach dropped as her heart rate accelerated. "Bad news about Booth? But that's not possible. He's training other soldiers in Afghanistan, so he's not on the front lines...he's not supposed to be a hero…he's supposed to be safe...he's supposed to be on his way home. You must be mistaken..." She stared at her desk as she shook her head. "It's just not possible…"

"His unit was overrun by insurgents a few days before he was supposed to leave Afghanistan to come home. They used explosives, and there were several casualties. Sergeant Major Booth was unaccounted for afterwards….there were very few identifiable remains recovered." Walker swallowed hard as he continued. "Technically, Booth has been listed as missing in action, but it would be more realistic to list him as missing and presumed dead. I guess it a was horrible incident..." Sergeant Walker stopped for a minute and exhaled slowly. This part of his job was terrible, and he figured Dr. Brennan didn't really need to know all the gory details. "Listen...I wanted to let you know what happened to Booth even though you aren't listed as next of kin for him. I know you were good friends with him, and I thought you had a right to know about it. Booth was a good friend of mine also, and he left something for me to give to you in case, you know...in case something happened to him and he couldn't give it to you himself." Walker ran his hand across his eyes as he handed Brennan an envelope. "It may not help you right now, but I know he cared a lot about you…I thought you'd want to know."

"Thank you.", Brennan whispered as she took the envelope from him. "Thanks for coming to tell me in person. I know this is uncomfortable for you." She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she stared at the envelope. "But I have to ask, Sergeant Walker...are you sure?"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan...I'm sure…" Sergeant Walker gave her a grim look as he rose to leave. "Please let me know if you need anything else…."

"Yes, I will…." She stared at the envelope with her nickname on it as Walker silently left her office. _To Bones_ was printed out across the front in Booth's neat block letters. Surely this must be a mistake. Booth was not supposed to be in danger. He was supposed to be in a relatively safe position. She ran her fingers across the flap. Maybe if she didn't open it, this bad dream would go away...but she knew it was real...terribly, horribly real. With trembling hands she loosened the flap and unfolded the letter.

 _My Dearest Bones,_

 _If you're reading this letter, I'm not going to be able to come back to you again. You'll probably get some details later. Please remember I was doing something that I was proud of...I wanted to help others and to do the right thing for my country._

 _So here's some things I want you to know. You need to eat better, and you need to get some rest from time to time. Don't work all night long, and don't forget to lock your apartment door, even when you're home. You never know what crazy folks are out there trying to get into your place. And be really careful when you go on those digs and trips. You've got people relying on you back home._

 _I also want you to know that no matter what happened between us in the past, you are always going to be my standard. Compared to you, every other woman I ever dated was just a consolation prize. There was never another woman in my life that I loved as much as I love you._

 _I'm sorry things didn't work out between us. I hope you find someone or something that makes you truly happy. That's all I ever wanted for you._

 _Love always,_

 _Booth_

Brennan wept bitterly as she realized her world had come crashing down around her…

oooooooooo

Brennan was reading the newest case file on her computer late on a Friday afternoon. It had been a year since she'd left the university to begin working as a forensic scientist at the Jeffersonian. Even though she missed teaching she enjoyed working on cases for the FBI, and the intense nature of the work allowed her to stop dwelling on the loss of Booth.

Her mind still wandered back to Booth from time to time. She still dreamed about him on a regular basis. Occasionally something would happen to remind her of something funny that he used to do, or she'd think she might've heard his voice in a restaurant. Once in awhile she'd think she might've seen him walking down the street, and she'd smile as she thought of him, only to have the reality of his loss wash over her again. The wound from his death wasn't as raw as it had been twelve months ago, but it still hurt her deeply, and she eventually realized that even though she might adjust to the hurt, she'd never really be completely over it.

Her reverie was interrupted by a familiar voice. "C'mon, Sweetie! It's time to go. We'll never get a table at the Venusburg if we don't leave now." Brennan's new best friend Angela came hurrying into her office. "Save it and shut down, Brennan. We need to go. Mandy's going to hold us a table, but she's kind of flighty and easily distracted by hot guys, and there's always lots of hot guys at that club. Get this, Brennan….her smokin' hot cousin is probably gonna show up and bring some of his hot friends. God, Mandy's cousin is so freaking gorgeous…."

Brennan rolled her eyes and laughed as she got ready to leave for the evening. "Okay, okay, Angela. I'm shutting down my computer. I don't want to keep you from meeting warm men."

"HOT GUYS! It's my job as your best friend to get you out of the office and into the fun part of life, complete with drinks, dancing, and sexy men. You know...glug, glug woohoo!" Angela wrinkled her nose as she saw what Brennan was wearing. "Really, Bren? You need to lose the grandma sweater and baggy pants. Tank tops and skinny jeans will attract much more attention from the guys there tonight. Let's make a detour to my office before we hit the club. We need to get you dressed more appropriately, and let's fix your make up a bit…"

oooooooooo

"This is fun, isn't it?" Angela yelled at Brennan as they made their way across the dance floor at the club. "Hey, there's Mandy!" Angela waved to a woman sitting at a small table. "C'mon, let's go get a drink and see about finding some dance partners."

Brennan sighed as she followed Angela over to the table. She hadn't been too interested in coming to such a crowded club, but Angela had insisted that it would be fun. So far, instead of fun, it had been hot and noisy, but the night was still young, and she hoped things would improve. She had become somewhat reclusive since Booth had died, and she realized it was probably time to begin to interact socially again.

"Hi, Angela! And this must be your friend Temperance! I've heard so much about you!'', Mandy bubbled as she flicked her long brown hair over her shoulder. "This place is really rockin' tonight, isn't it?" She smiled as the DJ put on a song with a strong rhythmic beat. "We need to find us some guys and dance!"

"Where's your hottie cousin, Mandy? I bet Bren would like to check out his bones, right, Bren?"

Brennan pretended not to hear Angela's comments as she sipped her beer and nodded with the beat. Nightclubs offered an interesting anthropological study of mating rituals, and she was having a good time observing the various couples around the room when she heard a voice behind her.

"Wanna dance?" A tall blonde man smiled and held out his hand.

Brennan looked over her shoulder before figuring out he was speaking to her. "Oh, sure...just a minute." She got Angela's attention and nodded toward the man. "I'm going to go dance."

Angela's eyes lit up as she checked out the guy. "Good for you, Sweetie." She leaned over to whisper in Brennan's ear. "I told you there were lots of hot guys here."

Brennan smiled as she stepped away from the table and onto the dance floor with her prospective partner. She soon discovered that he was physically attractive but incapable of carrying on what she considered to be an intelligent conversation. After a few dances Brennan and her partner walked back over to the table where Mandy and Angela were sitting. Mandy seemed to be having an interesting conversation with a man standing with his back to the dance floor rubbing the back of his neck as he gestured with his other hand. Angela was laughing as she watched the man with an appreciative eye. She obviously found him quite attractive, and based on what she saw of the man from the rear, Brennan agreed with her assessment. This man must be Mandy's cousin based on Angela's description of him. There was something vaguely familiar about him…

Brennan came up behind the man and reached past him to pick up her beer. "Excuse me…."

The man turned to face her, and then grinned from ear to ear. "Bones? Is it really you? God, am I ever glad to see you. C'mere." He reached out to give her a hug.

Brennan stood perfectly still for a few seconds analyzing the situation before deciding her best course of action. "Booth….you son of a bitch…", she yelled as she threw a solid right hook into his jaw that sent him sprawling on the floor. Then, grabbing her purse and jacket, she stormed out of the nightclub.

Booth sat up slowly and rubbed his jaw. "I guess that means she's not glad to see me…."

 _So what do you think? Would you like to read more?_


	2. Chapter 2

Mandy Maloney tried hard to keep from laughing as she inspected her cousin's jaw and chin while he sat at her kitchen table later that evening. "Sit still for a minute!" He winced as she ran her fingers across the growing purple bruise. "Well, I don't think she broke your jaw, Seeley, but it wasn't because she didn't try. I guess that's just another woman who didn't fall for your Boothy charms, right?"

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Dr. Maloney.", her cousin sneered as he twisted to look at his chin's reflection in the hand mirror she held up for him. "Like you'd know a broken jaw if you felt it. I swear, she loosened all of the teeth on this side." Booth reached in and tried to wiggle some of his bottom teeth. "I forgot how deadly accurate Bones can be when she's angry."

"You'd better be nice to me….I'm the one who carted your sorry ass home so you didn't have to listen to all of your friends give you a hard time about a woman decking you in public. Here...open up." Mandy held a tiny dentist's mirror inside Booth's mouth. "It doesn't look like any of your teeth are broken. If I didn't know better, I'd say Dr. Brennan knew exactly where to hit you so that there was no permanent damage."

Booth nodded in agreement. "She knows, and I guess it could've been a helluva lot worse. She could've kicked me in the nuts instead of punching me in the jaw. I can't figure out what set her off, though...I really thought she'd be glad to see me tonight. That's why I wanted you and Angela to put together that surprise for her. I'm glad you two talked me out of surprising her at the gun range..." He gritted his teeth as he rubbed his chin again.

Mandy laughed out loud. "I'd say you were the one who got the surprise, weren't you, Seeley?" He smiled at his cousin, but it was obvious from the pained look in his eyes that he wasn't enjoying her joke. Mandy finally realized how upset he was at the failure of his plan to surprise Dr. Brennan. He was just trying to put up a brave front. "So let me guess….all of this planning a surprise was because she's really special to you, right?" A smirk grew into a broad smile on Mandy's face. "So that's it...she's the one, isn't she?"

Booth shrugged off the question as he walked into his cousin's tiny kitchen. He filled a zippered plastic bag with ice cubes and held it up to his jaw before he turned to face her, hoping that his emotions were under control. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mandy. Dr. Brennan and I don't have that kind of relationship….we were just work partners for a period of time over the last two years."

Mandy shook her head as she watched her cousin pretend not to care. "Don't give me that shit, Seeley. I'm not as naive as you think I am. She's the one. She's the reason you broke up with Tessa. I bet Tessa was green with jealousy when she met Dr. Brennan. I also think Dr. Brennan is the real reason you and Hannah didn't get married. You tried to get over Dr. Brennan, but she's the one you love the most, and you can't let her go, can you?"

"That's enough, little girl…" Booth was still smiling, but his tone of voice held a different message entirely. "Dr. Brennan and I were work colleagues and friends before I left for Afghanistan. That's it. And we're not going to talk about this any more this evening. It's late. I'm going home, and you're going to bed."

"Who the hell do you think you are, Booth? I open my home to you, and you try to brush me off like I'm five years old. I'm not some little kid you can order around whenever you want. I'm practically finished with dental school, you know? I'm sorry if I upset you by reading your feelings wrong when it comes to Dr. Brennan, but I've known you for all of my life, and I know what you look like when you're in love. That's how you looked when you saw her this evening. You were a man who was seeing his long lost lover."

Booth shifted the ice bag around on his jaw and sighed as he looked at his younger cousin. She had inherited the Maloney tendency toward gut instinct just like he had, and, like him, she wasn't afraid to use it to get what she wanted. She was watching his every move, just looking for a reason to pounce on him if he made a mistake or twisted his facts.

There was no escaping it, and he knew it would be easier just to tell Mandy the truth. He sighed as he began his story...remembering it was so painful for him. "Okay...you're right. I'm in love with her, okay? I have been since the first day I met her, I guess. We worked some cases together when she was a professor at the University of Montreal. She was involved in some sort of for FBI forensic science exchange program here in DC. I remember walking into that lecture room where she was talking to the FBI techs about preserving evidence and it was like getting hit by lightning...she was gorgeous, and I was a goner, even if I didn't know it yet. I couldn't get her off my mind, so my relationship with Tessa went to hell. And that's all you're gonna get right now." Booth looked over at his cousin and tried to smile. "Listen, I'm not gonna rehash my whole love life with you. It doesn't matter anymore, anyway. Bones doesn't feel like that about me...she never did. I should've known how she'd react to seeing me tonight."

Mandy smiled back as she shook her head. "For a smart man, Seeley, sometimes you're just plain stupid. She was angry with you….I'd say that somehow you caught her off guard and she didn't react well. But the fact that she didn't kick you in the groin in front of all of your friends tells me that she cares about you." Mandy wrinkled her nose as she thought about the evening. "That's the impression I got, anyway...I don't know if that makes any sense…."

A real grin slowly crept across Booth's face as he listened to Mandy. "Maybe so...I'd really like to think so...but I doubt it." He stood up and stretched before putting the ice bag in the kitchen sink. "I'm going home. I got stuff to do this weekend. Thanks for trying to help me out with the surprise, Mandy." He picked up his jacket, keys, and phone. "I'll see you soon. Good night."

Mandy watched Booth walk out the door of her apartment. Maybe someday she'd get another chance to help Booth be happy again. He was her favorite cousin, and it hurt to see him so sad. "I'll call Angela tomorrow and see what we can do to fix this little problem…."

oooooooooo

Brennan tossed and turned as she tried to get comfortable in her bed that night. Finally, exasperated, she gave her pillow a punch and reached over to her nightstand to turn on the lamp. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of her jumbled thoughts. Booth had been at the nightclub earlier that evening, alive and well. It had been such a shock. She hadn't been able to make sense of it at the time, so she'd reacted in anger, lashing out at him when she should've been happy to see him. Her behavior had been totally irrational, and she was embarrassed. She and Booth were friends, and she had hit him in the face as a way of greeting him instead of returning the embrace he offered.

Logically, she thought, there was no reason to be angry at Booth. They were not in any sort of romantic relationship any longer, and he owed her nothing by way of explanation as to where he had been or what he had been doing over the last year or so. He was probably just trying to be friendly this evening when she happened to show up at the same nightclub he was visiting. She had no reason to expect anything more from him than an exchange of pleasantries.

It seemed that Sergeant Walker had been misinformed about the extent of Booth's injuries when his unit was attacked a year ago. He had obviously survived and it appeared that he was in good health. Booth could have been any number of places, including Washington, DC, when he returned from Afghanistan. In fact, Brennan realized, he might have been home for weeks or months and chose not to contact her while he was living there. She smiled ruefully to herself. If that was true, that would've been Hannah's doing. The reporter had never been completely convinced that Brennan and Booth were just colleagues, and Brennan knew that Hannah would've had a good reason to be suspicious about their feelings for each other. Of course, Hannah should have been at the club with him….but perhaps she was out of town working on a story….

Brennan sat up in bed and took a cardboard box out of the bottom drawer of her nightstand. Opening the lid, she took out some pictures and spread them across her bed. There she was, standing next to Booth in his office at the Hoover. They looked so happy...she was smiling and he was laughing. There they were with Parker at a Washington Capitals hockey game...There was the newspaper article about how they had teamed up to improve the FBI forensics division and had raised the solve rate of the Major Crimes Division. There was the postcard Booth had sent her from Jamaica after he had broken up with Tessa….Then there was Tony and Roxie together at a casino...Brennan couldn't help but smile when she saw the picture of them together during their undercover trip to Las Vegas.

She thought about how she had come to DC two years ago so she could use her expertise in forensic anthropology to help the FBI solve cases. The Bureau was going to pay her to consult with them on cases, allowing her to use the laboratory facilities at the Jeffersonian. It was a lucrative offer, and the bargain was quickly made. Brennan brushed a tear away as she remembered that she had gotten so much more than she bargained for….

At first she tried to resist Booth's charming personality and his dark good looks. She wanted to keep their relationship strictly professional and not let emotions cloud the issue. She didn't want to be in love with Booth...romantic affairs at the workplace only led to complications, and that's exactly what had happened. She loved Booth and he had said he loved her...he wanted her to take a chance on them being together permanently, but she knew he would only end up disappointed with her, and that she'd hurt him badly if she indulged in that sort of emotional partnership. She knew she wouldn't be able to love him like he needed, so she let him go, even though it had hurt her badly when he moved on with his life. She went back to Montreal, and he went to Afghanistan, where he fell in love with Hannah, and as far as Brennan knew, they were engaged to be married.

Brennan sighed as she put her pictures back in the box. It seemed that Booth was now living here in DC, most likely with Hannah, and there was probably no way to avoid him if she continued to work at the Jeffersonian. Now she just needed to decide what to do in order to cope with the situation.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sweetie, where were you this weekend? I kept getting sent to voicemail when I tried to call you." Angela stood in the doorway of Brennan's office early Monday morning. "Are you alright?"

Brennan looked up from her computer and shrugged her shoulders. "I turned off my phone so I could concentrate on writing some chapters for my newest book. I have a deadline coming up. Why would you think that I wasn't alright? As you can see, I'm fine." She turned back to the monitor. "However, I am also very busy right now…."

"Oh, no...that's not going to work on me, Brennan. You know what I want to know. Why did you smack Mandy's cousin in the face? Mandy was really upset...not so much about you hitting Seeley, because she says he can be a jerk sometimes, but she was afraid we had made you really angry when we pulled our surprise on you. I'd told her I didn't think it was a good idea to do that, but she wouldn't listen to me."

"You were correct, Angela." Brennan looked over at her friend and sighed heavily. "Seeing Booth Friday night was not a pleasant surprise. We have some rather uncomfortable history between us, and as Mandy has indicated, I didn't always find it easy to get along with Booth. How well do you know him?"

Angela came into Brennan's office and sat across the desk from her. "Not well at all. I only met him because Mandy and I have a yoga class together. A couple of weeks ago she drove us to our class, but when we got ready to leave her car wouldn't start, so she had to call her cousin for help. Her cousin turned out to be Seeley. He'd only been stateside for about a month at that time, I guess. Anyway, the three of us went out to dinner that evening, and he wanted to know about my job. I told him about being a forensic artist here at the Jeffersonian, and he asked all sorts of questions about the scientists I work with. When he found out you were working here, his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. That's when they hatched the plot for your surprise meeting with him, and I got dragged into it because they thought I could convince you to come to the club. Seeley wanted it to be like those sweet stories where people are reunited with their family members who are home from a deployment."

Brennan grimaced and rolled her eyes as she turned back to her computer. It was just like Booth to come up with this sort of silly, romantic plot to surprise her instead of merely calling her on the phone, but it was possible he knew she wouldn't talk to him if he did try to call her. He'd probably thought she would have to talk to him if they met in a public venue but she had proved that idea to be incorrect. "You may tell your friend Mandy that I'm not angry about the surprise. She had no reason to believe that I might not want to see Booth, so I don't blame her for what happened. I suppose Booth was not severely injured…."

"Mandy says he's going to have a major league bruise on his jaw for a while, but nothing permanent. I guess you rattled his teeth pretty well." Angela watched Brennan typing for a minute before asking the question that was really on her mind. "So what's up with you and Seeley, anyway? I mean, he's hot, and he seems like a nice guy. He's got a good job…."

"I'm very busy right now, Angela, so I don't have time to talk about it." Brennan shut down her computer and stood up to leave, trying to indicate that the discussion was over. "There are two new sets of remains for me to examine, and I have several sets of bones that I need to work on in bone storage. Perhaps I'll explain it to you some time, but I need to go back to work right now."

"Oh, okay, Sweetie, but if you ever want to talk about it…."

Brennan held up her hand to interrupt Angela. "I'm sure that won't be necessary, but thank you. There isn't anything for us to talk about in this situation. However, maybe if I have time we can have lunch together later this week and we can discuss other things."

"That sounds like fun. I'll see you later." Angela rose quickly and moved toward the door before turning around to speak to Brennan. "Just be careful before you burn all of your bridges with that man…."

"I don't know what that means…" Brennan regarded her friend stoically.

"Yes, you do...it means to think about giving Seeley another chance before you write him off completely. I don't know why you're so angry with him, but I think he's worth it if you'd be willing to try again..."

"Perhaps." Brennan pulled her hair up into a ponytail and put on her lab coat. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Angela, I need to go back out to the platform to look at those remains…."

oooooooooo

Brennan was concentrating on the bones in front of her. Even through her gloves she could feel that both the radius and the ulna had unusual incised scrapes on them that were difficult to see clearly without magnification. She turned and carried the bones to the microscope, adjusting it until she could clearly see the small amounts of trace materials in the grooves. She was so intent on what she was doing she barely looked up when the alarm chirped to let her know someone had joined her on the platform. "Hello, Dr. Hodgins…"

"Hiya, Bones."

"Booth!" She spun around rapidly at the smooth sound of his voice. Damn it! Why did his presence always do this to her? She tried to calm herself, but her heart was beating wildly in her chest. "What are you doing here? Who let you onto the platform?" She glared at Booth as she strode over to him and jabbed her finger into his chest. "You don't have permission to be up here while there are remains present..."

He smiled as he held up his identification card. "It still works on your fancy alarm...and since I'm back with the FBI in the major crimes division, I do actually have a reason to be here. I have a job to do." He pushed past her and walked over to the examination table. "Have you identified the decedent yet?"

"Not positively...Angela still has to work on the reconstruction to make sure the person's face matches the picture on the driver's license he was carrying." She moved to look back into the microscope so she could avoid making eye contact with Booth. "I'm fairly certain they are not the same person since the measurements on the skull indicate that the victim was of Chinese descent, but the driver's license photo is of an African-American man." Booth came over to stand next to the microscope and Brennan moved back to the examination table. "When did you go back to work for the FBI?"

"Two weeks ago. It took some time to get everything arranged so I could go back to work." He walked over to stand next to Brennan, and she moved to the opposite side of the table.

"I see." Brennan held up the skull to look at the facial bones more closely. "How's Hannah? I was surprised she wasn't with you at the club Friday night. I suppose she still travels quite a bit for her job."

Booth sighed softly, hesitating before he spoke again. "I don't know how Hannah is. I haven't seen her for over a year."

"That's strange, Booth. She's your fiancee. Why haven't you seen her more recently?"

"Because of Major Thomas Brownlee." Booth stared at the remains on the table, avoiding eye contact with Brennan.

"I don't understand, Booth. Who is Thomas Brownlee?"

"Hannah was cheating on me with Major Brownlee, right under my nose...I found out right after you left for the Maluku Islands. She decided she wanted a commissioned officer instead of a non-com. More money, more prestige…" He shook his head as he remembered what had happened. "And my best friend wasn't around to help me through the pain of my breakup…" He looked up at Brennan to see if she understood what he meant.

"I see. I'm sorry Hannah made you unhappy." Brennan tried to concentrate on the remains even though she knew Booth was watching her. "I'm sure that was difficult."

"It was my own fault, you know? I guess I quit paying enough attention to Hannah because I was upset that you were leaving again, and she found someone else that would give her more of what she wanted…"

"I fail to see how my leaving the country would cause that sort of inappropriate behavior, Booth. I thought you loved Hannah...you were engaged to be married to her. Why would you begin ignoring her?"

"It's a long story, Bones. Would you look at me, please? I want to talk to you..." He moved to stand next to her, but she moved back to the microscope.

"You can talk to me all you want, Booth, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to you." She looked up at him defiantly. "I have no idea what we could possibly have to talk about other than our victim over there." She turned to walk away from him.

"Would you hold still for five minutes, please? I want to tell you...Bones…" He chased after her as she stormed off the platform. "Hey, come back here…."

Brennan walked quickly to her office, wishing once again that she could slam her office door. She wanted to keep Booth outside but he followed her into her office, trying to make her listen to him. He stood in front of the door so she couldn't leave her office.

"Either let me leave, or leave yourself, Booth." She glared furiously at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Five minutes, Bones. That's all I want. You can spare five minutes." His voice rose in volume as he became more emotional. "I couldn't concentrate on my relationship with Hannah because all I could think about was the fact that you were leaving me again. I couldn't marry Hannah because I was in love with someone else...you! I was in love with you, and I still am! And when you left me again, I couldn't think of anything else to do with my life because I was angry and upset with you, so I signed up with the Army to train soldiers and I went back to Afghanistan, but I couldn't tell you I was leaving because I didn't know exactly where the hell you were in the Malukus, remember? I had no way of getting in touch with you, because you wouldn't tell me where you were going to be…"

"I don't want to hear any more of your sad stories, Booth. I didn't tell you where I was going to be because I didn't want to maintain my relationship with you. I thought you were going to marry Hannah, and I didn't want to be around when that happened. But guess what, Booth? At least you knew I was alive, right? Not like me, who spent a year thinking that you had died in Afghanistan. You let me grieve for you for a whole year, and then you show up here like nothing had happened and expect me to act like all is forgiven, but I can't do that. You stole a year of happiness from me, Booth...a year I can never get back."

"Wait...you thought...they told you I had died? But…" A look of horror spread across Booth's face. "You were on my list! I told them to tell you that I was alive! I swear, Bones...you were supposed to know that I was okay…They were supposed to list me as MIA, but they were going to tell you the truth...that I was alive and on a special ops mission."

"Sergeant Walker came to my office at the university last year and told me you were presumed dead. He gave me the letter you'd left for me in case you were killed. He said he was sure you had died…" Brennan brushed away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "So when I saw you Friday, and you were unconcerned about my feelings...it made me angry. I'm very angry with you, Booth. I can't believe you'd be so cruel, letting me mourn a year for someone who wasn't dead." She sniffled a bit, and then squared her shoulders. "I need you to leave my office. Your five minutes are up."

"Bones, I promise you...this was all a mistake. Please let me explain…"

"Not now. I have work to do. Please leave my office, or I'll be forced to call security…" She reached for the telephone on her desk. "You have 30 seconds..."

"Okay, I'll go...for now. But this isn't over. I'll bring you the evidence that proves what happened, Bones. This was all just a big mistake."

"Fine. You do that. But for now...GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!"

Booth's shoulders sagged as he turned to leave. This was not the happy reunion he had envisioned on all those lonely black nights in Afghanistan. As he left the lab and stepped into the sunshine, he planned his first step towards getting Bones back. He had to find Sergeant Josh Walker.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: sorry for the rough language but I needed it for the scene...I remember how my dad talked to his Army buddies..._

Booth had turned his problem over in his mind for hours on Monday after his visit to Bones. Now, here it was Tuesday morning and it was still hard to act like he was staying busy at work with this distraction hanging over his head. Someone, somewhere in the goddamn Army chain of command had told Bones he had died...and it made him madder than hell. No wonder she was angry with him...she already believed that everybody she cared about ended up leaving her, and now it looked like that he had not only left her, but he had lied about it, too. She had grieved for him….he paused in his mental tirade to savor that little shred of information...she had cared enough for him that she grieved over what had seemed to be his loss. That little tidbit kept a tiny ember of hope alive in his soul. Maybe she really did love him after all…

But that had to wait until later. The first order of business was to find the son of a bitch who had tried to ruin his life. Someone had lied to Bones, and he wasn't going to stand for it. Someone was going to pay…

Booth sat back in his office chair and rubbed his hand across his chin as he thought about what Bones had told him. Sergeant Josh Walker had come to see her at her university office in Montreal a little over a year ago to give her the bad news. But Walker was a good guy...no way he'd deliberately give Bones the wrong information. The only explanation was that Walker must have gotten some bad intel. Now the problem was how to get in touch with Walker. Yeah, right...how many Sergeant Walkers were actually in the US Army? Thousands? But then Booth remembered an odd fact, and smiled to himself. There were probably lots of Walkers in the Army, and maybe even several dozen Josh Walkers, but he doubted that there were too many Sergeant Joshua Joseph Francis Aloysius Walkers in the US Army. Nice to know that Walker was a good Catholic boy with devout parents. That ought to make him easy to find. Booth used his official FBI investigator status and accessed the database of currently enlisted Army personnel...and found out that the Sergeant Walker he needed to talk to was presently stationed at Watervilet Arsenal in New York. It wouldn't be difficult for Walker to get to Montreal from there. Now to find the cell phone number….and make the call. Booth held his breath as the phone rang….

"Sergeant Walker."

"Hey, Josh….it's Booth."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "You're shittin' me, right? Booth is dead, ain't he?"

"Do I sound dead, you sorry son of a bitch?"

"Jesus, Booth...how the hell does that work…I mean, Command sent me an email….Oh, Christ...man, I fucked up bad...I went to see your girl and told her you were gone…gave her your letter, and everything, man...Shit...I'm so sorry..."

"Don't worry about that right now. I'm gonna smooth things over with her. It wasn't your fault you got bad information. What I wanna know is who told you I was dead."

"Well, the email actually said 'presumed dead' like the news was on the sly…but you know the Army doesn't use that goddamn term unless they think you're a goner…

"I don't give a flying fuck about that right now, Walker! Who sent the email and why'd you get it?"

"Let me think a minute...listen, I'm so sorry, man...your girl was so upset….God, and now you show up alive? Shit…"

"Walker...shut up and tell me who sent the damn email…."

"Okay, okay...I think I still got on my phone, out of respect for your sorry ass, and all that shit...here it is. A Captain Jonathan Mabry in DC sent me this email. He says he knew we'd served together, and I was on the list of contacts to be made if anything happened to you…."

"What the Hell? I mean, no offense, Josh, but I don't remember putting you on my 'I'm dead' list…Goddamn Army thinks it can fuck with my life…"

"So what did happen, Booth? Why'd they come up with this shit, anyway?"

"I can't tell you everything….special ops need to know shit….but I was supposed to be listed as MIA so I could do my job and then show up later without it being a big deal. Looks like someone embellished my listing a bit, don't it?"

"Yeah, that sucks, man. So is your girl over the shock yet? I mean, there were lotsa tears, Buddy. She was tore up over it."

"I gotta fix that little problem, but first I gotta go visit that bastard Captain Mabry. You said DC?"

"Right, DC. Hey, if you fix the deal with your honey, I wanna come to the wedding. I give real good toasts."

"I hope we get that far, Walker. Hey, thanks, buddy. Be careful at the Arsenal there. Don't make anything go BOOM."

"Ha ha. Very funny, jackass. Let me know how it turns out, okay?"

"You got it." Booth hung up and sat back in his chair. Good. Captain Mabry was in DC. Booth was looking forward to their chat…..

oooooooooo

Brennan sat at her computer Tuesday morning, looking over the latest test results, trying to concentrate on the information at hand.. The identification of one of the victims had been relatively easy. Xi Xu Sun was the name of the Chinese man who had the driver's license of an African-American man in his pocket. She wasn't concerned about how the exchange of the license had happened. That would be the FBI's problem, not hers. Her concern was cause of death. Mr. Sun had suffered a blow to the back of the head, and it was most certainly a murder.

The other victim was more problematic. The facial bones had been badly damaged by scavengers, and Angela was trying to use a computer program to figure out what the young woman had looked like in life. So far the results had been unsatisfactory, and it appeared that they had reached a dead end at this point in their investigation. Brennan accessed a forensic journal on the internet, hoping the issue would have some helpful suggestions for Angela on how to replicate the smaller bones of the face when she heard a small cough at her door.

"Sweetie? There's someone here to see you…" Angela stood tentatively at Brennan's office door. "Do you have a few minutes?"

Brennan sighed as she looked over the article on her monitor. "I'm really busy, Angela. Maybe later?" But it was too late. Booth's cousin Mandy was standing in front of her desk, fidgeting nervously with her purse strap and scarf. "Oh...Hello, Mandy." Brennan looked toward the doorway, but Angela was nowhere to be found. "I guess we can talk for a few minutes until Angela returns. How may I help you?"

Mandy stared at her fingernails for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you about Seeley…"

"I see. Well, I'm afraid there's nothing to discuss in relation to Booth…"

"Please, Dr. Brennan, just hear me out. Angela said you don't like surprises, so I know it was kinda rude to spring one on you at the Venusburg last Friday night. But I just wanted to make Seeley happy, and he said it'd be fun. He's always been so nice to me, so I gave in to the idea. He's my favorite cousin, and I wanted to help him."

Brennan studied Mandy for a few seconds. "I can see a slight family resemblance, but I believe Booth looks more like his paternal grandfather. However, it does appear that his coloring is similar to yours."

"I know we don't really look all that much alike, but my dad Frank was his mother's brother. My mom and dad died when I was pretty young, and I stayed with my Uncle Mike after that, but Mr. and Mrs. Booth, Seeley's Pops and Nana, they'd let me come to visit them from time to time. Seeley always treated me like I was his little sister."

"That's interesting, but...I don't know why you're telling me this." Brennan turned back to her monitor. "If you'll excuse me…"

Mandy bit her lip, pausing before she continued. "I'm telling you this because I want to help make things right between you and Seeley. I know he was upset that you were angry Friday night. And he says you're the one…"

Brennan's brow furrowed as she tried to understand what Mandy was telling her. "One what? I don't know what that means…"

"I'm sorry." Mandy smiled at Brennan. "That's a Maloney family saying. 'The one' is your one and only...you know, the one person you love the most over all others. The one you live for, and the one you'd die for...no matter what happens, it's the one person you want to be with forever. Seeley told me you're the one for him."

Brennan felt her cheeks grow warm as she blushed. "I'm not sure Booth would want you to tell me things like that, Mandy. I think you must be mistaken. We've been friends for a long time, and we're partners, but that's all there is to our relationship."

Mandy shook her head as her smile grew wider. "Dr. Brennan...are you familiar with Seeley's gut instinct?"

"Yes...I have to admit it annoys me a great deal when he uses gut instinct instead of science, especially when he is correct." Both women chuckled at the joke. "Why are you asking about Booth's gut?"

"Because that's a Maloney thing, too. I've got great gut instincts, Dr. Brennan, and right now they're telling me that work partners is not the only kind of partner you want to be with my cousin. I don't know what he did that made you so angry, but he's really a great guy, and I was wondering if it was possible...I mean, could you maybe find it in your heart to forgive him? I'm sure there must be a logical explanation for whatever happened, and I know he wouldn't hurt you deliberately…."

"Mandy, you must realize that logic and Booth are not always found together on friendly terms." Brennan smiled as she remembered some of Booth's 'logic'. "But I will make an effort to find out if there is a logical explanation for this situation. Will that be satisfactory?"

"Yes, I think so. Thank you, Dr. Brennan. I'm glad my cousin has a chance to be happy." Mandy turned to leave but then stopped and turned back toward Brennan. "I don't think we should tell him I came to visit. He might not understand."

"I believe that is a wise decision. Goodbye, Mandy."

Brennan turned back to her computer monitor as Mandy left, and tried to concentrate on the article from the journal, but it was difficult. All she really wanted to think about was being "the one" for Booth….


	5. Chapter 5

Booth walked briskly down the hall of the Pentagon toward the section where Captain Mabry's office was located. After his phone call to Walker yesterday, he was determined to see Mabry today to get the situation cleared up so Bones would know the truth about what happened. He was also angry at being manipulated by the Army he had served so faithfully, and he was going to let the top brass know, in no uncertain terms, that he wouldn't stand for being treated that way.

He pushed through the office door and stood impatiently in front of the receptionist's desk in the waiting area. "Excuse me. I need to see Captain Mabry as soon as possible. My name is Seeley Booth."

The receptionist grimaced slightly as she checked the daily schedule on her computer. "Do you have an appointment, Mr. Booth? I don't see your name on here…" She glanced up at him with a look that clearly said she wanted him to go away, but he ignored it. He would not be deterred from this mission, no matter how difficult it proved to be. No obstacle would keep him from achieving his goal of providing Bones with the proof that he hadn't lied to her.

"Look under Sergeant Major S. J. Booth. I called yesterday afternoon and was assured that Captain Mabry would be in this morning." Booth planted his feet and stood with his arms folded across his chest. He wasn't going anywhere until his task was accomplished. "Tell the captain I'm not going away until I see him, and I'm not afraid to go to his commanding officer if necessary to get the job done."

"Oh, yes...there you are...I missed it the first time through. I'll just go tell the captain you're already here. Excuse me for a minute." The young woman rose from her desk, knocked on the door and entered the office, closing the door behind her. After a few minutes she emerged with a nervous smile. "Captain Mabry will see you now…."

"Thank you." Booth strode past the receptionist and into the office. "Captain Mabry, sir...my name is Seeley Booth. I need to talk to you about my service record…"

The captain sat back in his desk chair and glared at Booth. "Service records are maintained in St. Louis, Missouri, Sergeant Major Booth. I'm afraid you've made a trip here for nothing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Captain Mabry turned to focus on his computer monitor.

"I'm no longer Sergeant Major Booth, Captain Mabry. I've completed my time in the Army, and I'm returning to civilian life. My title is Special Agent...I'm in the FBI here in DC. But the record I'm talking about isn't the kind that's kept in St. Louis." Booth stood defiantly in front of the captain's desk. "I'm here about the last mission I was on in Afghanistan...Operation Deep Six. I was supposed to be listed as MIA so I could do that special ops project the Army had for me. Everyone I listed was to be informed of my true status. Instead I was listed as missing/presumed dead. To make matters worse, sir, one of the people on my list was not informed properly, and she was told that I actually was deceased. I'm sure you understand the type of emotional trauma that can cause someone…."

Captain Mabry smiled unpleasantly at Booth. "I have no doubt that there was some emotional trauma, but it was considered necessary under the circumstances. It was determined that national security was at stake…"

"I understand that the situation was vital to our security, sir, which is why I agreed to undertake the project to begin with. What I don't understand is why Dr. Brennan was not informed of my actual status. I know that she was supposed to be told the truth, or at the most that I was missing. My grandfather, my brother, and the mother of my child were informed correctly, so your office should've informed Dr. Brennan as well."

Mabry shrugged as he got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I'm sure you realize that we vet all of the people that our specialists want to inform when they go on a special mission. There were some people involved in that process who saw Dr. Brennan on your list, and they were concerned. The thought was that since she is so involved in your work partnership, she might not be able to handle the thought of you being missing, and she might want to look for you herself. She can afford to do so, and she definitely has the intellectual ability…"

"That's just crazy!" Booth was furious as he moved closer to the captain's desk. "You thought she'd come to Afghanistan to look for me? No way! I think you just made a mistake and you're covering your ass instead of admitting the truth."

"It was no mistake, Sergeant Major. It was decided that we would inform her of your suspected demise so she would not interfere with your mission in any way. One of my officers investigated to find someone you had served with in the past...a close friend or a trusted comrade. When he found Sgt. Walker, he notified him of your 'death' and suggested to him that maybe if there was someone in your life that wasn't on the 'need to know' list that he should inform them. The fact that Walker had a letter from you to give to Dr. Brennan after your death was just icing on the cake."

"You goddamn son of a bitch. You nearly ruined her life, and mine, too, just because you were afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep a secret." Booth pounded the captain's desk with his fist. "You flat out lied to Dr. Brennan, causing her great emotional upheaval. You can't just brush it off like it never happened…"

"At ease, Sergeant Major…."

Booth's voice rose in anger. "No, there is no more 'at ease', Captain Mabry. I'm separated from the service. I don't have to take this shit from you…"

"I'm assuming you'll still want your veteran's benefits, Booth. I'm suggesting that you stand down now or I'll call security. I'm sure the FBI would not be pleased about you being forcibly removed from the Pentagon…"

"Oh, now you're going to threaten my benefits because you got caught in a lie? It doesn't work that way, Captain. Dr. Brennan is a best selling author. What do you think is going to happen when she writes an expose' about how the Army treats the families of those who volunteer for special missions? How do you think that'll affect morale? How will that play in the Halls of Congress? I'm sure several papers would like to put that article on the front page, and we can have it all over television as well."

Captain Mabry was an intelligent man. He sat quietly, watching Booth rage as he paced around the office. The captain had forgotten that Dr. Brennan was so influential, and he hadn't counted on an angry federal agent who was willing to use that influence to get what he wanted, which in this case was obviously an apology. He had assumed that Booth would accept what had happened and move on without worrying about how it had affected Dr. Brennan. It was obvious that Booth was not going to allow that to happen. The Army couldn't afford any bad press right now, and the Captain didn't want to make any waves since he was so close to retiring. Clearly it was time to cut the losses and to do damage control before this fiasco became a much bigger issue than necessary.

"I can see how badly this situation has affected you and Dr. Brennan, Booth. What can I do to fix things for the two of you?"

Booth turned to the captain and laughed mirthlessly. "It may be that this can't be fixed, Captain Mabry. Dr. Brennan has had several of her family members abandon her. When she found out that I was really alive, she thought that I had not only lied to her but that I had also abandoned her. My relationship with her may be ruined. I just don't know…"

"Perhaps...do you think she would accompany you to my office tomorrow afternoon? I could explain the way that everything occurred, and she would understand that you were not at fault."

Booth smiled to himself. He recognized the white flag of surrender when he saw it, but he still wanted to stick it to Captain Jackass. However, he had to be at work soon. "I'll call Dr. Brennan and see if she is agreeable to that idea. I'll call you later today with her decision."

"I hope to see you tomorrow then."

Booth ignored the captain's outstretched hand and turned to leave. As he stepped out into the hallway, he made a phone call.

"Bones? What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?"


	6. Chapter 6

Booth and Brennan sat in the reception area outside Captain Mabry's office. Booth was trying to read a newspaper while he watched Brennan calmly thumb through a magazine. He finally realized he was too distracted to read. He put the paper aside and picked up a magazine, but he quickly threw it aside. He wondered how Brennan could remain so relaxed as they waited to see Mabry. Didn't she know how important it was? He felt like his future happiness would be determined by what happened in that office within the next fifteen minutes, and the waiting was killing him.

Brennan, for her part, was watching Booth as she pretended to read. She smiled behind her magazine. She had already decided to forgive Booth...not that there was really anything to forgive. It seemed obvious to her that nothing that had occurred over the last year was because of any mistake or failure on his part. After hearing Booth rant and rave about the Army's decision not to notify her, she was certain that he had never intended to injure her in any way.

That left only one question in Brennan's mind...what was he thinking about her now? He had told her that his feelings for her were the reason he had ended his relationship with Hannah. His cousin had told Brennan that he considered her to be 'the One.' But what did that mean? She shook her head as she turned the page in her magazine. Her feelings for Booth were almost as confusing when he was alive as they were when she thought he was dead…

The phone on the receptionist's desk rang. "Agent Booth...Dr. Brennan...Captain Mabry will see you now."

"Thank you." Booth opened the office door for his partner and ushered her in. The change in the captain's office that had taken place in the last 24 hours was remarkable.

Today there were two chairs sitting opposite of Mabry's desk. The captain rose to meet them with a smile and a handshake. "I'm glad you could make back today, Agent Booth...and this must be Dr. Brennan. It's so nice to meet you. Would you like some coffee, or perhaps some water?" He gestured toward a small table that held bottled water and a tray of cookies. "Please, help yourself."

Booth smirked at the officer. "I'm fine...do you want something to drink, Bones?"

"No, thank you. I'd rather hear what the captain has to say about the enormous error that his department made in regard to your 'need to know' list, Booth." Brennan smiled sweetly at him before turning to face Captain Mabry. "Booth says your whole reason for denying me the truth in this situation was because someone in your department thought I might be tempted to be indiscreet. Is that correct, Captain?" She glared at the man behind the desk, daring him to disagree with her.

Captain Mabry stammered slightly as he tried to find the right words to answer her question. It seemed to him that no matter how he answered the question, shit was going to hit the fan. "I wouldn't exactly describe our concern as a lack of discretion, Dr. Brennan…"

The precision in Brennan's voice was chilling. Booth knew that her pinpoint logic was going to nail Captain Mabry to the wall. "You told Booth that you were afraid I might put his special ops mission in jeopardy. I'm well aware of Booth's status as a highly decorated Army Ranger. I know that he can undertake dangerous special operations, and that he can be a valuable tool as a sniper if he can operate covertly. Do you really think I would be so ignorant as to attempt to distract him during a mission when his success or even his life might depend on his absolute concentration? Do you really believe that I would be that irresponsible as to put his life in danger, Captain?"

"Well, I...I mean, we weren't sure...it's a military thing…" Captain Mabry shrank under Brennan's icy blue gaze. Booth smiled to himself...it wouldn't be long now...Mabry had no idea what he was in for….and now it was time to play the trump card.

"Booth, perhaps Captain Mabry didn't have access to the information about all the times I've helped the Army identify casualties that they thought were unidentifiable. What was the name of the colonel we spoke to when we were investigating Charles Kent's death?"

Booth nodded and turned to give Captain Mabry a big, artificial smile. "Colonel Shore….but guess what, Bones...he got promoted, right, Mabry? He's General Shore now, isn't he?"

Mabry gulped as he realized who Booth was talking about. "You know General Shore personally? Really? You mean the General Shore that's in command of this department...and you've identified remains for us, I mean, for the Army, Dr. Brennan? You had clearance to do that?" The captain flushed with embarrassment. "I had no idea that was you, Dr. Brennan…"

Brennan nodded and smiled wickedly at the captain as she blithely continued. "Of course, I had clearance. I've had an elevated security clearance for years. My security clearance is not at the same level as Booth's, but it's better than the average civilian. As it was, Colonel Shore...I mean General Shore... said he was very pleased with my work...that the government was indebted to me for my service...to let him know if I needed anything…"

"You know, Bones, maybe we ought to make an appointment to go see the General. I'm sure he could explain to us what happened with this whole shit storm about you not being notified correctly since Captain Mabry can't seem to string more than two words together at a time…." Booth winked at Mabry. "You won't mind, will you, Captain? It's obvious you're busy here, screwing up someone else's life with your incompetence…."

Captain Mabry looked like he wanted to vomit. "I didn't know...Dr. Brennan has clearance? Oh, my God…"

Booth turned to Brennan and reached over to hold her hand. "You know, don't you, Mabry, that the government wouldn't have granted Dr. Brennan clearance if they thought she'd run off half-cocked to Afghanistan to bail me out...and the FBI has granted her clearance to work with them, so they think she's rational and responsible. I'd say you guys fucked up things royally. So was there something you wanted to say to Dr. Brennan?"

Mabry shrank back into his chair. Twenty years in the military, and it looked like it was all going to go into the toilet. "On behalf of the US Army, Dr. Brennan, um... I like to extend our apologies for the emotional turmoil you might have experienced when you, ah, when you thought Agent Booth was deceased...um...I hope that we, that I, um, that the Army can somehow make amends to you…."

Brennan leaned forward and glared at Captain Mabry again. "I want your department to write new rules and regulations for the notification of relatives, loved ones, and next of kin, including exact instructions about the protocols used to vet the people on a soldier's list. I want to know with certainty that no one else will ever have to deal with the same sort of pain and suffering that I experienced when I thought Booth was dead. Do you think you can manage that, Captain, or should I make this suggestion to General Shore?"

Booth chuckled as he saw the panic on Mabry's face. "General Shore will have to know anyway ...he'll have to approve the changes, right, Mabry? Come on, Bones...let's allow the captain here some time to think over how he wants to handle your request. We'll be back in a month to check on your progress. Hopefully, some changes will be made soon…."

Mabry nodded slowly. "Right...I'll get on it right away."

"Good bye, Captain Mabry." Brennan waved as she walked toward the door. "Our meeting has been most educational. I look forward to seeing you in a month."

oooooooooo

Booth pulled his SUV out of the Pentagon parking lot into the heavy traffic. He glanced at the dashboard clock and then at his passenger. "Wanna get some lunch, Bones?"

She nodded as she gave him a small smile and turned back to the passenger side window. "Yes. I'd like to have lunch now."

After a few minutes of silence on the way to the diner, Booth glanced over at Brennan and noticed a tear on her cheek. "What's wrong, Bones? We won. You got your apology, and it looks like some changes are going to be made in how notifications are handled. That's a good thing, right? C'mon...what's the matter..."

"I struck you." Brennan brushed the tears from her face as she continued. "I hit you hard enough to bruise you, because I was angry, and I regret that very much. I would never want to hurt you, Booth."

"I know that, Bones. It was a bad deal. I mean, of course I was upset at the time, but now that I know everything that had happened, I understand why you slugged me. I told Mandy that I was glad we didn't surprise you at the gun range…" Booth chuckled as he saw the look of horror on Brennan's face. "Yeah...you really might have drilled me, right? Anyway, it's all over. We can work together again, just like before. We can be partners and solve cases…"

Brennan interrupted him. "I don't want to be partners like before." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window. "I didn't like that arrangement."

"Oh. I just thought…I mean, I thought you'd be happy..." Booth felt his stomach drop. Maybe she'd never forgive him…dammit!

"No. I don't want to be partners where that's all we are...work partners. I want more, Booth…" She turned in her seat so she was facing toward him. "I've come to realize how much I care for you. For that year when I thought you were dead…" Brennan sighed and closed her eyes. "When I thought I'd never see you again, I was devastated, Booth. Now that I have a second chance….I want to take advantage of it. I love you, Booth. I want to be your partner in everything. Mandy said you told her that I was 'the One', and I want to be 'the One' for you." She held her breath...she'd told him all of what she was feeling. Now all she could do was wait for his response.

Booth was speechless as he pulled his SUV into a parking place. He turned off the car and looked over at Brennan. "Are you sure, Bones? Because once we start...I'm never gonna let you go, ever again. Of course you're the one for me…I put that in my letter to you, and I told you that's why I couldn't marry Hannah. I've been hoping you might feel the same...so, yes, please...be my partner in everything. Be 'the One' for me forever. God, Bones...I love you so much…" He leaned over to give Brennan a kiss. "I'm such a lucky guy. It's almost worth getting smacked in the jaw for…" Another kiss…"I hope you don't have to go to work this afternoon...I think we have other plans, don't you?"

"Definitely." She smiled broadly as she patted Booth's thigh. "Welcome home, Sergeant Major Booth...welcome home."


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: as requested, an epilogue for the happy couple. Don't forget...this is AU..._

Booth stood outside the door of Brennan's office, watching her as she concentrated on what she was typing on her computer. He sighed contentedly and smiled. He knew he was a lucky man to have a woman like her in his life.…he was amazed all over again as he considered how close he'd come to losing her, and now she was really, truly his girlfriend. She loved him...he felt his heart beat faster as he thought about it again. He couldn't believe it...after all this time, it turned out that she actually loved him.

Finally he knocked on the office door frame. "Hiya, Bones. Wanna go for lunch?" He twitched his eyebrows as he gave her a dimpled grin. "How about the diner this afternoon?"

"Oh, hello, Booth." She gave him a brilliant smile. "Yes, I'd like to have lunch. Just let me finish up here…" She typed a few more words, saved her work, and shut down her computer. She pulled an envelope out of her desk drawer and handed it to Booth. "Here. Look what I got in the mail yesterday."

Booth looked at the return address on the envelope. "The Pentagon? Wow…"

"Read it." She grinned as she watched him scan the letter, knowing how pleased he'd be. He smoothed out the letter and looked it over, his smile growing wider and wider as he read.

 _Temperance Brennan, PhD_

 _Medico-Legal Lab_

 _Jeffersonian Institution_

 _Washington, DC_

 _Dear Dr. Brennan:_

 _On behalf of the United States Army, please allow me to apologize for the unfortunate incident involving your receipt of the incorrect death notice for Sergeant Major Seeley J. Booth._

 _The officers in my department have taken several steps to ensure that our notification methods, rules, and regulations are more accurate and that they are more carefully tailored to meet the needs of our service personnel and their friends and loved ones. I personally am grateful to you for making the suggestion based on your own personal experience. Hopefully, this will prevent others from suffering as much pain as you suffered._

 _The lack of compassion exhibited by Captain Mabry toward Sergeant Major Booth and toward you has also been addressed by my office. Please inform Booth that Captain Mabry has been reassigned to Fort Irwin. I'm sure he will understand the significance._

 _If you require assistance with anything else related to this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me._

 _Thank you for your patience and understanding._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Philip Seymour Shore_

 _General_

 _United States Army_

Booth laughed out loud when he reached the end of the letter. "Poor Mabry! He must've really ticked off the General! Fort Irwin? That's too funny!"

Brennan furrowed her brow as she watched Booth's reaction. "Why is that so funny?"

"Fort Irwin is out in the goddamn middle of nowhere...the ass end of the Universe. It's in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a couple of hundred miles from civilization no matter which direction you go. It's supposed to be one of the worst postings in the entire Army, outside of Gitmo, I guess. Basically, Mabry is being sent into exile until it's time for him to retire. I almost feel sorry for the guy…" Booth handed the letter back to Brennan. "So I guess that's the end of the story, isn't it? All's well that ends well, right?"

Brennan arched her eyebrow and licked her lips as she linked arms with Booth. "Actually, there is one more part of this year that we need to discuss. Come on...let's go to lunch. We need to talk."

"We do?" Booth was skeptical. "Am I in trouble again?"

"Maybe...it depends on if you cooperate or not…." Brennan giggled as she kissed Booth on the cheek. "I think you'll be pleased…."

oooooooooo

It was a warm, sunny Saturday morning in May. The Tropical Garden atrium of the Jeffersonian was abuzz with activity. White chairs were placed in perfectly straight rows facing the indoor waterfall. A small table in front of the waterfall was set with lavender orchids in gold vases and white candles in gold candelabras. A man in a dark suit fidgeted nervously, waiting for the event to begin.

Mandy Maloney and Angela Montenegro stood at the end of the aisle between the rows of chairs, each beautiful in their soft lavender bridesmaid dresses. Mandy giggled as she smoothed down her dress. "I think this may be the first bridesmaid dress I've ever liked. It's not too fluffy…."

Angela nodded. "I know. I was surprised...Brennan did well, I think. Oh look…there are the guys…."

Hodgins and Josh Walker walked in and stood with Booth in front of the small table. They all looked very handsome in their dark gray tuxedos. Josh elbowed Booth and laughed. "It's not too late to bolt, Booth…"

Booth's grin grew wider as the music began to play. "No way...I've waited too long for this moment. You'll see...there's no way I'd walk away from her again."

"Did you say that the priest is a friend of Booth's, Mandy?" Angela whispered quietly as the congregation was seated.

"Yeah, except he's not really a priest any more." Mandy shrugged. "I guess Aldo is still licensed to do weddings, and Booth's known him for a long time, so it seemed to be a natural choice. Oh...shush...here comes Dr. Brennan. She looks beautiful, doesn't she?" She and Angela turned to look at the beautiful bride to be.

It was time for the ceremony to begin. Mandy started down the aisle to the strains of Pachelbel's Canon, smiling at her cousin. He was obviously thrilled, and she was pleased for him. Angela turned to Brennan and gave her a thumbs up. "Booth looks so hot in that tuxedo. Good job, Sweetie."

"Thank you. I am very pleased with how things turned out." Brennan smiled again as she took her father's arm. She was glowing with happiness as her father escorted her down the aisle. Her eyes were sparkling as she smiled at Booth. Her dreams were finally going to be realized...she was going to marry her best friend.

Walker swore softly under his breath as he watched Brennan walk down the aisle in her form-fitting, strapless ivory dress. "Damn, Booth...I see what you mean. You're one lucky bastard!"

Booth shook his head as he saw how beautiful Brennan looked. "God, don't I know it."

"Friends and family, thank you for being here on this beautiful morning.", Aldo began. "Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan have asked you here to witness the beginning of their married life together. We've been invited to see for ourselves the love they share with each other. We are blessed to be here to share their happiness with them."

Aldo turned to Booth and Brennan. "Seeley and Temperance, please join hands and recite the vows you've written for each other."

Booth sighed deeply and exhaled slowly before he began to speak. "Bones...you're the only one I've ever really wanted. You are the One for me...the One I love, the One I live for...the One I want forever. I promise you will always be the only One for me."

Brennan brushed away a tear as she looked down at their clasped hands. "Booth...I have loved you for years, even before I knew about the concept of you being the One for me. But now I know...you have always been the One for me, and I promise you always will be."

Aldo took the rings in his hand and prayed over them. "With these rings, Booth and Temperance are demonstrating to the world that they have found the One they will love forever. We pray that the world may see these outward signs of love for many, many years." Booth smiled as he placed the ring on Brennan's finger. "With this ring, I tell the world I love you."

Brennan's hand trembled as she placed the ring on Booth's hand. "With this ring, I tell the world I will love no other."

Aldo smiled as he looked out over the congregation. "By the power given to me by the District of Columbia and the internet, I pronounce you married to each other. Booth and Brennan, please kiss each other."

Brennan reached up to put her arms around Booth's neck and pulled him down to kiss her lips. "I love you, Booth...I'm so glad you're in my life."

"I love you, too, Bones...I'm so thankful for you."

They turned to walk down the aisle through the gathering of their happy friends and family, ready to face whatever happened next in their lives. They knew they'd be ready, no matter what, because they had each other.


End file.
